


Redhead

by elsa



Category: The Charioteer - Mary Renault
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-28
Updated: 2018-02-28
Packaged: 2019-03-25 01:57:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13824063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elsa/pseuds/elsa
Summary: Ralph slanted his eyes at him and the corner of his eye crinkled a bit almost reflexively in scorn. It really started getting Bunny going.





	Redhead

It wasn't hard to do over the bathtub at home, since his natural color was only a few shades darker. Besides, he could always dye it back when the roots came in. Going from his normal light brown to a golden red color wasn't too hard. It set off his blue eyes rather well. He looked at himself in the mirror and then looked again, just looking for the pleasure of it, enjoying it. 

Ralph generally ignored all his symptoms of vanity, so he had to seek out Claude who could be depended on to comment.

Claude leaned back against the armchair and looked at him appreciatively.

"Well don't you look nice," he said. 

"Do you think so?" Bunny preened. 

"What's the occasion? You know there is a war on, don't you?" 

"Oh, do I. It's important to look your best, I say. Anyway. Ralph has a sort of... well.. fantasy." He had recently found this out.

"A fantasy," repeated Claude.

"For redheads," Bunny said a bit flatly. 

"I.. what do you mean, a fantasy? A sex fantasy?"

"I mean that's what I think." It was definitely a sex fantasy. "It wasn't entirely spoken, you see, but --. Anyway I thought it turned out rather well." There was a floor mirror next to the wall, he turned and looked at himself. 

"You've taking women's cosmetic hair dyes so you can have more sex with the navy officer you've been carrying on with," said Claude admiringly.

"Well, if you've got to be like THAT," said Bunny. "Yes. That wasn't so hard, was it?" 

.

It was new for Bunny, living with someone who never had any fun. Ralph turned off his radio without comment and would get really quite annoyed sometimes and did not appreciate his modern furniture collection at all and -- 

"Oh, hello, Bunny," said Ralph in his crisp cool voice, closing the door behind him and taking off his coat: showing long, lean lines that looked as if they'd go on forever. Bunny felt a little skipped beat, a twist low in his stomach. He tried to keep his wits, though: Ralph was glancing up again at him, quite neutrally. It was really hard to tell that he had noticed anything, except he had looked again. Well, Bunny thought with some measure of satisfaction. He gave Ralph his practiced smile for situations like this. A muscle jumped in Ralph's jaw and he turned away. 

Bunny inwardly sighed and let it go. "Well for god's sake. see something you like?" he said, smiling.

Ralph slanted his eyes at him and the corner of his eye crinkled a bit almost reflexively in scorn. It started getting Bunny going. Ralph went over to the cabinet to pour himself a drink, and after a moment spoke in a light and pleasant voice. 

"You look nice, Bunny. what brought it on?" 

"I found a stash of cosmetics when I was over at Dahlia's," said Bunny, "and I thought, well, wouldn't it be a change." 

After a pause, he added, "Of course I'll have to dye it back when I get the roots back. If people talk, I'll just say that I had to test it for a girlfriend, you know."

"That's--. barely plausible," said Ralph. He put down his drink. 

"I thought it turned out well." Bunny took a step back. 

"The trick is to use a women's hair dye, you know," he said, hearing his voice become a bit breathless and high, "it turns out better that way." 

"Bunny," said Ralph in his low pleasant voice, "do stop talking."

Bunny tilted his head back and squeezed his eyes shut. The wall dug into his shoulderblades, and in the quiet room, his breaths were loud and eager. He tried not to be too loud. Ralph was skilled to the point of arrogance and what with people and nurses and handsome air force pilots chasing after him god knows he didn't need to have his ego stroked any further. 

.

It would never work out, anyway, he thought, later. Even Ralph had to be lucid enough to see that this was an auto erotic fantasy, practically morbid to be hanging on to some boy from school who had probably never even looked at or talked to him until now. He should be sticking with what he knew. And Bunny knew Ralph enjoyed it. 

Ralph knew Bunny enjoyed it too -- and Bunny was ready for it, any time. Bunny wanted it any which way. He'd show him. He'd -- 

That was what he was thinking when he came in the next week from Binky's. 

The boy on Ralph's bed turned around quickly and sat up. 

He was not extremely handsome, Bunny thought immediately.

However: he was nice looking, and quite a bit younger than Bunny, with soft run down eyes and chestnut-brown hair, not even very red. He had a firm, handsome mouth. Bunny observed this all with increasing outrage. Saying anything wouldn't do: Ralph was undoubtedly around, probably making plans for the poor innocent thing at the first conceivable chance. 

The boy was waiting in a mannerly and polite way, looking at Bunny. Bunny had just gotten back from dressing for a party and he knew he looked good. He smiled. 

"Now don't tell me who you are," said Bunny. "I know I'm right. Laurie Odell."

.

Driving back took better time than expected; the air raid had stopped and Bunny was home in no time. He went up the stairs and took off his coat in the hallway briskly. He thought: how incredible, how haughty he is; how can Ralph stand it? who does he think he is? 

I'd like to take him down. 

Ralph was still in. Bunny took him in with one look: he was obviously still rather flattened. 

"Alright. Let's get you to bed." 

"But -- I--"

"Shhh." Bunny crumpled up the counterpane considerably, leaning over him. 

_Yes, that's right_ , he should have said to Laurie. _You're leaving him alone. With me._

Ralph was drowsy and put his head on Bunny's shoulder. Bunny pulled him closer, squashing his arm a bit; and Ralph lifted his good hand and stroked his hair. Bunny kissed him. Ralph closed his eyes. "Spud," he mumbled.

"To hell with him," said Bunny tenderly.


End file.
